Water Salt Toxicity Assessment for the Nile River -Damietta Branch and Evaluating its Suitability for Irrigation Process

This study was conducted to monitor surface water salts along the Damietta Branch-Nile River for a yearlong period to evaluate its quality for irrigation. Damietta Branch was divided into twelve stations along through it where water samples were collected and some physicochemical parameters were analyzed. Results obtained confirmed that the SAR value of water along the branch ranged from 3.93 to 60.28 eq/l. According to SAR calculations and characterizations, it is obtained that Damietta branch water is classified as medium (good water quality), which is suitable for coarse textured or organic soil with good permeability and relatively unsuitable in fine textured soils. Nevertheless, its quality varied between several classes (low, medium, high and very high) at different stations separately along the branch. The PAR value of water along the branch ranged from 1.72 to 25.55 eq/l. Thus, Damietta branch water is classified as having low to medium risk of soil dispersion (low to medium water quality) but real risk values are for waters low in EC, typically < 65mS/m). However, different stations along the branch varied between several classes (low, medium, high and very high). The ESP value of water along the Damietta Branch ranged from 12.96 to 68.68 and with a mean value of 43.04±20.2 along the branch. Chloride, Sodium, Calcium, and potassium concentration values in water along Damietta Branch were distributed in a regular manner as it increased from upstream to downstream along Damietta branch except for one or two stations.: Na + > K + > Cl->Ca ++ > Mg